1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed towards an electronic component and a method of structuring it which does not require manual tuning or alignment during its manufacture. The component may include, but is not limited to, an equalizer which compensates for varying degrees of cable loss in CATV/MATV broadband network facilities. A trial and error procedure is implemented which includes applying a plurality of circuit modifications to a base circuit in an effort to initially approximate stabilization of signal characteristics of a signal being continuously processed through the base circuit and monitoring the signal characteristics to determine the effect of applying the approximating circuit modifications.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the communication industry, a cable television/master antenna television (CATV/MATV) broadband network collects available intelligent information from a variety of sources including antennas, satellite receivers, local originating signals, phone lines, and/or return paths of the broadband network in two-way operational networks. It is of course well recognized that CATV/MATV broadband networks utilize vast quantities of coaxial cable to establish and transmit such collected information. The frequency spectrum for these broadband networks usually range from 5 to 450, 550, 750, 860, or 1000 MHZ. Each signal is given a specific frequency in the network spectrum. The transmitted or processed signals as well as the collected information are combined for transmission onto a coaxial cable to be distributed throughout the CATV/MATV broadband network.
More specifically, operational details of this type of broadband network comprise the connection of the coaxial cable to lasers for transmission of the combined signal/information over fiber optics and the further transmission and/or amplification onto other coaxial cables by known passive or active methods. Finally, the collected signals are routed to the subscriber by means of fiber optics and cables, which are commonly referred to as the “trunk” or “back bone” of the feeder system. The feeder system comprises a variety of different broadband components, which include coaxial cables, multiple port taps, amplifiers, splitters, attenuators and equalizers. The feeder system then distributes the intelligent information, using coaxial cable, to the subscribers or end users of a CATV/MATV broadband network.
One of the most common and problematic occurrences involved with the use of extended lengths of coaxial cable, in the manner set forth above, is the existence of “cable loss”. Such losses deteriorate transmission of information to the subscriber or end user as well as derogatorily effect the trunk and feeder systems. Cable loss is more specifically evidenced by a decay of certain signal characteristics including, but not necessarily limited to, amplitude decay and frequency decay.
In order to compensate for such cable losses certain electronic components have been developed for inclusion in the broadband network communication system. Prevalent among such electronic components are equalizers and simulators. Equalizers are designed and structured to compensate for frequency and amplitude decay of signals transmitted over long distances of coaxial cable used in broadband networks, as set forth above. Simulators compensate for short spans of coaxial cable and effectively function as small pieces of coaxial cable. However, despite the concerted efforts to develop effective compensating electronic components, including equalizers, simulators, amplifiers, etc., present manufacturers of these components have encountered problems with their operational design and/or manufacture. Such problems are most commonly demonstrated by inconsistent and unreliable performance in overcoming cable losses.
A review of prior art design and manufacturing standards of equalizers and like electronic components reveals that their notoriously inconsistent performance is most likely attributable to manually performing tunning and/or alignment procedures on these electrical components in order that such components meet intended or standard operational specifications dependent on their rating and intended use. In typical fashion, such required tunning and aligning procedures are done manually resulting in increased time and cost involved in the manufacturing of such components. More importantly, no matter how skilled or well trained the worker, human error is a significant factor in the accurate performance of the required tunning and alignment procedures. Therefore production, in terms of quantity of products produced is significantly delayed and the products that are produced are at best inconsistent in terms of meeting recognized industry standards or specifications and performance characteristics.
Accordingly, there is a long recognized problem in the segment of the communication industry dealing with the operation and performance of CATV/MATV broadband network facilities, which is directly associated with the inability to consistently compensate for cable losses associated with the use of extended lengths of coaxial cable.